IslamiCity: Islam and the Global Muslim eCommunity. Here is one segment of that site, a primer on Islam as a religion. Other Andover Courses Significantly Concerned with Islam: 1. HIST-100/0 When Strangers Meet: World History 1000-1550 (a yearlong commitment) Four class periods a week. "When Strangers Meet" explores and connects key episodes in world history that contributed to the emergence of a global network. The entire first trimester is devoted to the study of the rise and reach of Islam, the world's first civilization to develop to a global extent. By delving into specific stories, from Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, to Marco Polo's appointment to the court of Khubilai Khan, to the first interactions between European explorers and Native Americans, we will examine the political, social and cultural forces that shaped the development of society from 1000 to 1550. An equally important objective of the course is to hone the skills of historians and social scientists: the ability to think objectively; to read and evaluate primary documents and secondary materials; to organize outline notes; to distinguish between more and less important evidence to employ in written and oral argument; to use library research tools; and to utilize a variety of textual, visual, statistical and physical materials to understand and explain the past. 2. PHRE-310 Religions of the Book: Judaism, Christianity and Islam (F-S) Four class periods. Not open to Juniors; priority given to Lowers. This course introduces students to the religious traditions that originated in the Middle East, flourished in and formed the West, and are practiced by people throughout the world today. Using an approach that is both objective and empathetic, we will introduce the origins and history of each tradition. We will become acquainted with the fundamental structures of belief and meaning that shaped adherents' lives, the rituals that formed and renewed them, and the social teachings that moved them to action. In doing so, we will learn something about the character of every religious path and about the questions to which we all seek answers. 3. PHRE-530 Advanced Topics in Religion (S) Four class periods. Open to Uppers and Seniors. This multidisciplinary seminar course will examine differing perspectives on a variety of religious topics. This year the course will focus on Islamic cultural studies, an introduction to modern Islamic influences in a variety of cultural contexts. Areas of focus could include the United States, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia, Turkey and Egypt. In this comparative study, we will give attention to both the unity and diversity of Islam as it is manifested in contemporary religious, political and cultural expressions in four of the countries outlined above. Consideration will be given to origins, formative developments, gender and family life, religious thought and practice, literary and artistic achievements and modern political conflicts and expressions. The first half of the course will focus on a general introduction to Islam followed by a case study exploring Islamic cultural studies within the Indonesian context. The second half of the term will be devoted to group projects where students will focus on Islamic cultural studies in one of three chosen countries. This is an advanced course open to Seniors and qualified Uppers. There are no prerequisites.